1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to: an image processing apparatus being capable of accessing an authentication server, the image processing apparatus performing status monitoring to check if the authentication server recovers from down status; an image processing system having the image processing apparatus; a method of performing status monitoring to check if the authentication server recovers from down status; and a recording medium storing a program of performing status monitoring to check if the authentication server recovers from down status.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
Some image processing apparatuses such as multi-function peripherals (MFPs), i.e., multifunctional digital machines having various functions such as copier function, printer function, scanner function, and facsimile (FAX) function, further have a function of managing charge information and counter information of each user or department.
Under the circumstances in which there are a plurality of such MFP, an authentication server needs to manage charge information and counter information to share with the MFPs so that users can use any of the MFPs under equal conditions. To achieve this, there is a suggested method of allowing the MFPs to access the authentication server to obtain necessary information therefrom, when a user makes a request for log-on to the MFPs.
There is another suggested method of allowing the MFPs to store user information so that users can use it to make a request for log-on to the MFPs while the authentication server is down because of a trouble.
Furthermore, there are a variety of other suggested methods of allowing the MFPs to: store user information of users registered thereon and accumulated information including charge information and counter information about executed jobs while the authentication server is down; and exchange information with the authentication server to update the information stored on the MFPs themselves, when the authentication server recovers from down status.
As an example thereof, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-151781 discloses a method of allowing the MFPs to: store charge information and counter information about executed jobs as accumulated information, while the authentication server is down; and exchange information with the authentication server to update the information stored on the MFPs themselves, when the authentication server recovers from down status.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-095792 discloses a method of allowing the MFPs to: check if the authentication server recovers from down status, at a predetermined time; and transfer an entire job history when the authentication server recovers.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-170994 discloses a method of allowing the MFPs to: check if the authentication server recovers from down status, when executing a job; and transfer an entire job history when the authentication server recovers.
In all the techniques of the above-mentioned patent publications, the MFPs transfer accumulated information stored on the MFPs themselves to the authentication server after the authentication server recovers from down status. Also in all these techniques, the MFPs perform status monitoring by checking if the authentication server recovers from down status, at a regular time, which caused some problems as described below.
That is, the MFPs may perform status monitoring by checking the server status at a predetermined time under the circumstances in which users of the MFPs are registered or deregistered frequently. In such a case, the MFPs can wrongly reject a user who has just been registered on the authentication server even after the authentication server recovers from down status, because the latest registration is not effective yet on the MFPs before the time to check the server status, which is very inconvenient.
Similarly, the MFPs can wrongly accept a user who has just been deregistered from the authentication server even after the authentication server recovers from down status, because the latest deregistration is not effective yet on the MFPs before the time to check the server status, which is very inconvenient as well.
For the above-mentioned reason, under the circumstances in which users of the MFPs are registered or deregistered frequently, it is preferred that the MFPs perform status monitoring by checking the status of the authentication server when log-on is requested.
In contrast, under the circumstances in which users of the MFPs are not registered or deregistered frequently, there would be fewer such problems as described above; however, status monitoring on the authentication server would interfere with log-on processing more frequently. To solve the problem, it is preferred that the MFPs perform status monitoring by checking the status of the authentication server at a predetermined time.
Meanwhile, under the circumstances in which many users use the MFPs, the MFPs would be required to execute many jobs while the authentication server is down; when a user makes a request for log-on to the MFPs, the operation of status monitoring on the authentication server and transferring accumulated information stored on the MFPs would interfere with log-on processing. To solve the problem, it is preferred that the MFPs perform status monitoring by checking the status of the authentication server at a predetermined time.
In contrast, under the circumstances in which a small number of users use the MFPs, it is preferred that the MFPs perform status monitoring by checking the status of the authentication server when log-on is requested, in order to giving priority to the operation of transferring accumulated information to the authentication server and recovering amounts of charge and counter values as they were before the authentication server went down, over log-on processing.
The discussion given above can be summarized as follows: it is preferred that the MFPs perform status monitoring to check if the authentication server recovers from down status, at a different time depending on the number of users or the pattern of use of the MFPs.
Actually, in all the techniques of the above-mentioned patent publications, the MFPs perform status monitoring by checking the status of the authentication server at a regular time, thus such demands cannot be met.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.